Different than Before
by nottheonlyfanaround
Summary: Lily in the moments before and after discovering she was a witch.


House: Ravenclaw

Word Count: 1642

Category: Bonus

Bonus: First experience or first time doing something.

Prompt(s): [prompt] Discovering that you are a magical creature or squib.

* * *

It was the 30th of January. The flowers outside in her mother's garden were dead, shriveled up from the cold, buried in snow. None would be planted again until early in April. Her mother had brought some inside before the winter hit, they hadn't survived as well as they'd hoped. But today the flowers weren't the most important thing. Today was her birthday, and she was excited to be turning eleven. It meant another brilliant year had passed, and another one awaited her.

The Evans' household was quiet, as was usual for the mornings, the only sounds to be heard were the soft flip of a page from Mr. Evans reading the newspaper and the sizzling of pancake batter on the stove where Mrs. Evans was making a special breakfast for her youngest daughter. Lily absolutely adored her birthday; it meant she got to be around family she'd not seen in a while, and invite all her friends over for a party.

A loud knock broke through the peaceful silence, causing Lily's mother to turn off the stove and walk to the door, opening it with a look of shock slowly spreading onto her face. This had piqued Lily's curiosity. The redhead walking over to her mother's side to see what the older woman had been so shocked about. There in the doorway stood a woman with the most absurd clothing Lily had ever seen. She wore long green robes, had a pointy hat, and was holding an envelope addressed to _her_.

"May I come in?" The woman asked, her face not changing its stern features, as if she wanted to get whatever her visit was about over with quickly - as if she had other places to be. Lily's mother nodded and moved to the side, looking slightly scared of the odd woman who stood in her doorway. She dismissed Lily up to her room, telling her she'd explain it later, Lily following her mother's orders and heading up to the room she shared with her older sister.

Lily counted in her head, marking down each time a minute had passed with a little line on her notebook. She tried listening to Petunia's story, though she found trying to focus on counting and listening to her sister at the same time was impossible. By the time her mother came up to bring Lily back downstairs she had managed to make 30 little lines on the paper. She was surprised it had taken that long to have a conversation.

"Lily dear, this is Professor McGonagall. She says you're a…. _witch_." She was confused as to why her mother had whispered the last part because this was surely a prank, right? This _had_ to be a prank. She looked around her at the faces of her Mother, Father, and the mysterious woman, and she realized. This wasn't a prank. Her face lit up. It was real, she was actually a witch, this meant she could do magic, this was simply amazing.

The woman explained it all to Lily, telling her she would need school supplies, a list was provided with her letter. Telling her what sorts of stuff she would be learning and what all to expect during her first year at Hogwarts. The lady disappeared with a loud pop, leaving Lily in a giddy silence. This was _definitely_ the best birthday she'd ever had.

Summer passed slowly, Lily wanting so badly for September to just arrive already, she'd already gotten her supplies and was now waiting anxiously to get to the school. She'd heard from her best friend, Severus, that the school was a real life castle, and she couldn't wait to see it. Lily had immersed herself in the wizarding books, charms textbooks and the History of Hogwarts; it was all so fascinating to her.

Not so much to Petunia - she seemed to be taking the news of Lily being different the worst out of the family. While their parents were happy and intrigued, Petunia was bitter and cold about it all. Lily didn't focus on that though, because she had so much to look forward to and she wouldn't let _anyone_ ruin it.

The trees had started growing leaves again, flowers started to bloom for the first time that season, and the snow from the previous winter was all melted now. Lily took to helping her mother plant new flowers in their garden, bright red poppies, dull yellow daffodils, dainty white daisies, and multiple other beautiful flowers Lily couldn't remember the names of. Her birthday had passed months ago and yet she was still just as excited as the day she'd gotten the news. She was tempted to tell her friends at school about it, but the professor had told her it was forbidden, they were called muggles and weren't allowed to know about the wizarding world because they didn't have magic themselves.

Lily thought it was a rather stupid rule, yet she still abided by it. She didn't want to get punished for breaking it, didn't want someone to stop her amazing journey into the world of magic before it had even started. Severus was still there though. He was her best friend and she wouldn't replace him for anyone else in the world.

He was the only person she could turn to and talk to about Hogwarts, the only person her age who would actually understand. So, she would spend her free time by the lake near her house, sitting just up the hill from it underneath a lovely willow tree. The flowers that grew near the lake were gorgeous, pretty blue iris' that Lily love to pick and bring back to her mother. It wasn't too hot yet as summer was just beginning and the heat hadn't hit full force just yet.

Summer passed quicker than Spring had, the months blurring together, full of days spent at the lake. Laughter and splashing of water filled the days as Lily and Severus usually swam in the lake if they were allowed. Petunia would sometimes join the two, but only when the heat got to be unbearable. Soon, however, summer was over and the brilliant green of tree leaves that marked the summer quickly turned to lovely shades of orange and gold. Lily could remember when the first leaves started turning, she'd lit up and looked at the calendar she'd hung in her room, trying to figure out just how many days were left.

August was exciting, even more so than the Summer months had been, because it meant she was finally close to getting to Hogwarts. Lily had even been able to start counting down the days till she left to the station. There were only ten days left, she was already packed and ready, tending the garden with her mother, who was sad Lily would be leaving for such long periods of time. Sad she wouldn't be back until the next summer.

Sooner than she knew and she was off on the scarlet train for the first time, it was painted with golden letters on the side that read ' _The Hogwarts Express_ '. She was finally on her way, finally going to Hogwarts. When she arrived to the station for the first time she was awed at the surroundings, a large man she didn't know the name of waving her over and she was ushered onto sets of boats, along with the other first years. It was lovely, the water was dark due to the night sky, it almost looked black. The lanterns on the boats the only thing that light their way. Then there it was, the castle in all of its glory. It was magnificent, Lily could only look at it with awe.

She got sorted into Gryffindor, House of the Brave, or so she'd been told. Their colors were red and gold, their animal a lion. She guessed that's where they got the whole bravery thing from. She got her timetable the next morning at breakfast, her first class being charms. She skipped to the classroom, unable to contain herself as she couldn't wait to cast her first charm. Wingardium Leviosa it was called, the levitation charm.

She got it after two attempts, much to the shock of the teacher and the rest of the class. She caught Slytherin students glaring at her, but she brushed it off. She was elated that she'd done it, she couldn't wait to write home to tell her parents that she had managed to cast her first spell. It was in that moment that it finally sunk in, she was a witch, she could do magic, something that no one else in her family could do.

No matter what she'd make these next seven years worth it, even if it meant putting up with obnoxious Slytherin students, or the annoying habits of James Potter. It would all be worth it because this was the stuff she'd dreamed of since she was a little girl, this was the stuff she'd read about in fairytales. She wasn't a princess like she'd always dreamed of being, but she was close.

Lily was overjoyed as she walked to the next class of the day, Potions, the day was off to an amazing start. She was sure that it would continue to stay that way. She would make sure to live each day here to the fullest, learn everything she could and master spells and incantations. Besides, she'd become fast friends with a group of Gryffindor girls, with whom she shared a dorm and had met the previous night, and she knew that she would always have Severus. She felt invincible, like she could do anything she wanted. It was what she'd been dreaming of since her birthday, all that and more. It was amazing, brilliant, _perfect..._

 ** _ **And Lily Evans wouldn't let**_** ** **anything**** ** _ **change that.**_**


End file.
